Masterpiece: Night Watch by Rembrandt Keywords:

light, emphasis, Shading

Grade:

5th

Activity:

Shading Techniques

Meet the Artist: Born July 15, 1606 in Leiden, Netherlands. His full name was Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. His father owned a mill and his mother was the daughter of a baker. This means, that like most Dutch artists, Rembrandt came from the lower middle class, but contrary to popular belief, Rembrandt did not live a life of poverty. He was a Renaissance artist and the best subjects he liked to draw were either self-portraits or portraits of people he knows or is related to. Rembrandt was known as the most accomplished etcher ever. He liked dogs and included them in many of his paintings. He painted over 500 pictures and used light and dark colors. "The Night Watch" (painted 1642, when Rembrandt was only 36 years old) is considered the masterpiece of Rembrandt. The painting was ordered as a group portrait by the archer’s guild. Archer’s guilds kept the memory of the Spanish occupation alive. One sees depicted the company of captain Frans Banning Cocq, it consisted of members of the wealthy Amsterdam citizen’s elite. Special accent in this painting on the triumph of the United Republic and its merchants. In the center of the painting a captain dressed in black and his lieutenant in lemon yellow. The

canvas is buzzing of activity and creates a atmosphere of excitement by the contrasts between light and dark, shiny and dull colors and a high variety of positions, gestures and facial expressions.  Despite Rembrandt's financial success as an artist, teacher and art dealer, his grandiose living forced him to declare bankruptcy in 1656.  He lived to be 63 years old and painted right up to the end of his life. He died in 1669.

Possible Questions:  Who do you think the people in the painting could be?  Describe your thoughts about the painting.  Explain why some people in the painting are painted more brightly while some are painted darker. Why are the people in the painting dressed the way they are?  What are some of the things they are holding in their hands and how you imagine they could be used?  Does this painting seem to be still or to move? Why?  Describe where the light comes from and where it goes.  Do you think this painting was painted at night? Why?

Activity: Shading techniques

Process: Display and discuss print. Briefly discuss the artist’s life and times in which he lived.

Shading Techniques Use the “Fun Stuff” page have the students practice hatching, cross hatching, stippling etc. Next, Using the drawing papet have students shade an object with a light shining on it. Lightly spray aerosol spray on project after completion to fixate charcoal drawing. Use the following pages to demonstrate shading techniques. Hand out to students to use during lesson, Please collect and return to bin after use. Have them put their name on the back of the paper.

Value Spheres

Nick, 6th Grade

Vocabulary Words: Color wheel, complementary colors, value, depth, overlap, shadows, highlights

Supplies: 12x18" white paper, colored pencils, compass

We began this review lesson by drawing 3 overlapping spheres. Students used complementary colors to add shadows and highlights. They then divided their paper into 6 sections. Their challenge was to change the value of their colors from light to dark. They were given 2 30 min. class periods to complete this assignment. http://www.geocities.com/theartkids/artlessons/sixth/value.html

Contrast Black and White Photo with Charcoal Materials: Charcoal Pencils- White Drawing Paper- Gum Erasers-Paper Towels-Scissors-Copies of various Black and White Portraits-Fixative Spray(Aqua Net Hair Spray). These pictures may be of famous people or of anyone. Be sure to pick photos that have distinct shadows and detail when copied in Black and White. You may even choose to photograph each student in your class and enlarge these photos on the copier so they may do this project as a self-portrait using the following instructions. This is only another approach to this project if you want to do something different.

Please use the materials in the art bin and follow the instruction for the lesson we have provided below.

Lesson:  Have students write their name and teachers name on drawing paper.  Then have them pick out their portraits.  Next, have them cut photo down the center. Use paperclip for half of the photo, and set aside the other half, as you will need to refer to it later, to finish the portrait.  Have students place paper towels on the area of the forearm and writing hand, so as to not smudge the art work or get charcoal on themselves. Paper towel may also be rolled up and used as a blender.  With the charcoal pencil, students should shade in the opposite side of the face that is clipped to construction paper. Encourage them to shade this as dark as possible.  Now taking the other half of the portrait that we set aside, have students Look for the bright spots, and explain how important it is to have these areas that contrast the light and dark to make up the image.  Have the students take their gum erasers and erase on the charcoaled part to reveal the highlighted areas they see on the photo.

 Students can use a pencil eraser as well if they feel they want to create more detail.  Have them do the brighter side of the photo as well in the same fashion filling in and blending any dark areas to finish creating the charcoal portrait.  Finished portraits should be sprayed with fixative (Aqua Net Hair Spray helps eliminate the chalkiness). Please watch for the time. Make sure the students have their names and their teachers name on their art work. If there is time for class critiquing please do so. Began clean up and thank your students for being wonderful artist!

Black and White Photo Copy

Art Sample- Using split photo. Fill in darker shaded area, and use gum eraser to get highlights. Finish other side of bright side photo by finding dark and light areas to shade in with charcoal and blender.

Finished Black And White Charcoal Portrait